The 2015 Subaru WRX STI debuted to mixed reactions earlier this year, with many criticizing the Japanese automaker for using a carryover engine and not going far enough with the styling. Some of the criticism is justified, but Carlos Lago finds out if the STI is a better car in spite of those knocks on this episode of Ignition.

Lago begins with a few laps around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where he’s surprised to find that the car is fun to drive on track. The host likes the hydraulic steering for its weight and feedback, and also likes the clutch and shifter of the six-speed manual transmission. Lago comments that the car feels stable at speed, which inspires confidence. Overall, he says the chassis balance is improved from past STI models, which had a tendency to “flop around” on track, as Lago recalls.

After the press drive, Lago takes the STI to Fontana for testing. There, it’s revealed that the 2015 model eclipses the outgoing car in virtually every performance measure. Despite the carryover turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder, which still produces 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque, the 2015 STI manages a quarter-mile time of 13.1 seconds at 104.4 mph — 0.7 seconds faster than last year’s model. The STI also achieves a 4.6-second 0-60 mph time, besting the new WRX by nearly a second. Braking from 60-0 mph required 108 feet, but where the STI really shined was on the figure-eight course, where it laid down a 24.9-second lap at an average 0.79 g — half a second faster than the outgoing car.

After finding out what the 2015 STI can do on the track and in testing, Lago heads to his favorite canyon road to find out if the fun factor carries over to the street. The improved chassis balance and stability again showed their worth in the canyons, inspiring confidence even on less familiar roads. Though the engine hasn’t changed much, it still delivers a powerful turbocharged boxer punch. Check out the full episode above to hear Lago’s final thoughts on the 2015 Subaru WRX STI.

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